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Festivals of Tamizh Nadu – Sri Rama Navami

Sri Rama Navami is the first festival after Varuda Pirappu. It falls on the navami day of sukla paksham (Waxing moon) after the tamizh new year. As it is a festival during summer months, Neer Moor( Butter milk) and Panagam ( Sweetened water) are the main naivedyams for the lord. Kosamari (Salad) using Cucumber is also prepared. On road sides people set up pandals (Tents) to supply Neer Moor and Panagam stored in large earthern pots, to passers by.

Recipes for Neer More, Panagam (Paanagam) and Kosamari follow.

Neer Moor

Ingredients

Curd – 2 table spoons

Drinking water – 2 cups

Curry leaves 1 twig finely chopped

A pinch of salt

Method

Beat the curd well adding all ingredients.

Store in a Earthern pot or a copper vessel. You can also refrigerate for 1 hour.

Paanagam

Ingredients

Drinking water – 2 cups

Jaggery – 3 teaspoons

Cardamom – 1 no

Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

Method

Mix all ingredients and strain to remove impurities in jaggery.

Store in an earthern pot or copper vessel or chill in the fridge.

Kosmari

Ingredients

Cucumber – 1 no

Moong dal 2 table spoons

Coriander leaves – 2 twigs

Grated coconut 2 table spoons

Green chillies – 1 no

Salt to taste

Method

Peel and grate the cucumber. Soak the moong dal for 15 minutes and drain.

Great entry for RCI Latha. Love the recipes. I am cooking this Sunday too. This time I am cooking Tamil Nadu style for RCI instead of Kannadiga style! Bought a cookbook about Tamil festivals too!:)
For Deepavali, I am making your Mysore Pak , with Ghee and all exactly as you say but less quantity. I have already posted my version but I like your’s better. Not afraid of Ghee this time!:D

Waiting for your post on Tamizh festivals Asha!:)) While preparing Mysoor pak just forget about calories and concentrate on the sweet!:)) latha.

Ramar is so much more easier to deal with than Krishnar who demands all these rice pwd treats. I love neer mooru and kosmari (we call it vada paruppu). I have kept kolu and have been extremely busy this navarathri with visitors and visits to other’s people’s kolus. I will try to sqeeze in my kolu pics before the deadline! Happy saraswathi poojai and vijaya dasami.

Hi Latha,
Nice to know about Tamil Rama Navami-recipes. We make panakam, vada pappu and pulihora for Sree Rama Navami. We use pepper in panakam instead of cardamom. In Andhra, Bhadrachalam temple is very famous for celebrating Sree Rama Navami.

I was thinking to ask you how to make paanakam, lathamma!!And you are here..as if reding my mind!!!

Have you tried Panakam they give us as prasadam for DATTI SEVAI or Poopanthal sevai during Ekadasi days in srirangam???
My ma in law and myself have tried making that SUPERB combo but have failed to bring in that exact taste..It has dark brown colour..do they use panai vellam for making it??I drink one glass each, a day, from the temple and get my throat SORE the next day…even then I continue for all those 20 days…coz I love that divine drink😀..

…and in the neer mor I add a dash of lime too..with a pinch of asafoetida..for extra refresh ment..
In kerala this is called SAMBHARAM..tore up curry leaves,leaves of lime, coarsely crushed grenn chillies and ginger plus kaya ppodi…tastes and smells heavenly!!!
Like the idea of storing in man panai..that would be really good..will def try!!:)

Your recipes are excellent. You made grated mangoes to the kosmalli along with cucumber. And then add a spoon of thaalippu with mustard seeds roasted in a spoon of oil. This makes excellent kosmari, or kosmalli as we call it.

our recipes are excellent. You may add grated mangoes to the kosmalli along with cucumber. And then add a spoon of thaalippu with mustard seeds roasted in a spoon of oil. This makes excellent kosmari, or kosmalli as we call it.